Posted on Fri, Jul 15, 2011 : 1:09 p.m.
Brady Hoke 'can seemingly do no wrong,' writes national columnist
By AnnArbor.com Staff
Stewart Mandel, a college football writer for SI.com, turns his attention to Ann Arbor and new Michigan football coach Brady Hoke in today's Inside College Football post.
Michigan football coach Brady Hoke.
AnnArbor.com file photo
An excerpt:
Brady Hoke has yet to coach his first game at Michigan, but so far he can seemingly do no wrong. Over the past several months, the Wolverines' maize-and-blue-bleeding coach has won over a whole bunch of initial skeptics by hiring an acclaimed coaching staff and dominating the recruiting trail. Unlike doomed predecessor Rich Rodriguez, who engendered a whirl of controversy before he ever coached a game at Michigan, the former Lloyd Carr assistant has said all the right things at all the right press conferences and alumni functions.
Read the entire story here.
Comments
wolfman
Sun, Jul 17, 2011 : 1:01 a.m.
No National Title this year BUT in 2014 Michigan will be putting fear back into teams that must play them , Smashmouth Football is back at Michigan
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Sun, Jul 17, 2011 : 2:05 p.m.
Agreed. It will take a couple of years to repair the damage done both by poor recruiting and by poor coaching. But, in two years, with the crop of recruits Hoke and company are recruiting, WATCH OUT! Good Night and Good Luck
Blu-dogg97
Sat, Jul 16, 2011 : 4:02 p.m.
Good read by Mandel,as a Michigan fan of course I want to see wins,and really like the direction Hoke & coaches have,but its a huge task ahead of them,to clean up the mess left behind,install they're ideas,schemes etc etc... totally new defense,and offense.. So IMO us Blue fans need to be patient and see the forest through the trees.. First official practice begins Aug 8th,and the first game is exactly 26 days later on Sept3rd. There a ton of things to be accomplished in 26 days,I for one have total confidence in the coaches and players to complete this awe inspiring task,but again we need to have faith and patient to whats all involved.. improving the defense to a top 50 d in the country,would be a major improvement ,and will win some games.. I heard Ray Bentley (former NFL LB w/Bills)on the radio say he is familiar with Coach Mattison defensive schemes,and went on to say That Mattison will be teaching his defense NFL type stunts/plays ,which will be awesome to watch as a fan,also said he won't show every team what he has in his playbook,like if the standard D set is stopping the opposing offense,he won't use all these stunts until he needs to,so to me thats an exciting wrinkle for the future also,because the 2012 team is loaded with defensive talent,and Michigan will have a dominating Defensive again... Lets give Hoke & co. a little slack,and watch them work they're magic... GO BLUE..
golfer
Sat, Jul 16, 2011 : 11:05 a.m.
all i can say is. you have to crawl before you walk. this is one thing about michigan fans that i do not like. yup i am sure i will hear about that. you have to give a person time to fit into the system. yes we want to win NOW!. but lets give the system some time to get in place. when you go to a new job you must learn the job. so i say give him next year to put it in place then watch him climb up the stairs. he needs to put in a new system. that system can not be done overnight. that is not fair to hoke. JUST BACK HIM NO MATTER WHAT.
Hailmary
Sat, Jul 16, 2011 : 7:53 a.m.
I like the direction Coach Hoke is taking us. I did not like the direction Rich Rodriguez took the program and for me it was difficult because rather than belittle the man i truly did try to support him while he was coach. There were times I wanted to turn on him, it seemed to be the popular alternative. I I do not feel any remorse that I supported Rich Rodriguez I simply did because he was coach. . Now Brady is coach and while he's coach I will support him and at present I like the direction Brady is taking the program.
1st Down
Sat, Jul 16, 2011 : 6:19 a.m.
"I've known Jim a long time," Hoke said. "He's a good man. He helped a lot of kids. You don't want to see any things that hurt college football. But I don't have much to say about it. We've got enough things to worry about here." Read more: <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/stewart_mandel/07/15/brady-hoke-michigan/index.html#ixzz1SFLB3DuC" rel='nofollow'>http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/stewart_mandel/07/15/brady-hoke-michigan/index.html#ixzz1SFLB3DuC</a> That quote from Coach Hoke above, regarding the Ohio situation...is another uniqe & underrated ability that he has...which is to purposely understate a situation in a respectful manner, while keeping his focus on the real task at hand. Guts and Glory. No Drama. Go Blue.
aareader
Sat, Jul 16, 2011 : 1:38 a.m.
Obvioulsy he will "do something wrong" as games get played. No public persona will have a higher rating when they start a job. If he wins he will stay at the this level, but if he loses especially to MSU and Tosu ( as Edward R Murrow's Ghost notes) there will be grumbling from the ranks. I accept this as the nature of sports fans everywhere. In the meantime... GO BLUE!!!
garrisondyer
Fri, Jul 15, 2011 : 10:50 p.m.
I can think of only one wrong he's done so far, and even this one thing is up for debate. When he commented on Tressell "resigning", he had nothing but good words to say. About a coach that was forced to resign due to a scandal that was the direct result of said coach. Other than that, I've absolutely loved everything Hoke has done so far. Can't wait for the season! Go Blue!
garrisondyer
Sun, Jul 17, 2011 : 4:43 p.m.
Very true and good points, you two. I do agree. It just irked me a little when I read his glowing comments, that's all. Thanks for the replies!
heartbreakM
Sat, Jul 16, 2011 : 1:15 a.m.
Lying is never something you could admire, even in a rival. But Hoke needs OSU to be competitive (just as OSU needs UM) if that rivalry is to remain meaningful. He knows that, I'd guess. He has too much respect for the opponent to kick him when he is down, even if it is a big rival.
DonAZ
Sat, Jul 16, 2011 : 12:18 a.m.
I don't know ... to me that shows a man of good character and grace. I'd rather have that kind of man as the head coach. In the long run, men of character and grace do better things for the young men who come through the program.
stunhsif
Fri, Jul 15, 2011 : 10:27 p.m.
"SI.com: Brady Hoke 'can seemingly do no wrong,' writes national columnist" Just wait till he is 2 wins and 5 losses in his first 7 games !
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Sat, Jul 16, 2011 : 10:05 a.m.
You'll forgive Stun. He's as fan of M-S-Moooooooooooooooooooooo. Q: How many M-S-Mooooooooooooooooooooooooo undergrads does it take to change a lightbulb? A: None. Changing a lightbulb is a graduate course at M-S-Mooooooooooooooooo. Good Night and Good Luck
DonAZ
Sat, Jul 16, 2011 : 3:26 a.m.
Here's the first five games: Western Michigan Notre Dame Eastern Michigan San Diego State Minnesota at Northwestern at Michigan State Now YOU tell us which five games he loses. We'll hold you to it as the season progresses. Go ahead ... put your words "on paper" so to speak.
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Fri, Jul 15, 2011 : 9:37 p.m.
Lorraine wrote: "Hoke must beat ohio state. It is as simple as that. All the 'right comments' in the world, won't help Hoke, if he fails to win that game, THIS YEAR!." ROFL. Lorraine and the rest of the MCC were willing to tolerate--no--they LOVED a coach who went 0-3 against Tosu by a combined score of 100-24 (i.e., the average score was 33-8). But now Coach Hoke MUST win against Tosu THIS year. With "fans" like this, who needs enemies? It was pressure like this by fans that led to the hiring of the WCiMFH in the first place. [cue Lorraine spewing about the failures of Lloyd Carr]. Good Night and Good Luck
missionbrazil
Sat, Jul 16, 2011 : 2:06 a.m.
MCC on Hoke: "He MUST win 10 games or more THIS year, and he MUST beat OSU." MCC on whatshisname: "He deserved to get at least 5 years... we were on the right track; after all 3-5-7 = guaranteed 9+ wins in 2011." You have to love this MCC stuff.
Lorain Steelmen
Fri, Jul 15, 2011 : 8:48 p.m.
Hoke must beat ohio state. It is as simple as that. All the 'right comments' in the world, won't help Hoke, if he fails to win that game, THIS YEAR!. I think he understands that. Going back to 2001 in Ann Arbor, Tressel brought, what was ultimately a 7-5 team, into the Big House, and out-coached Carr, who had the vastly superior team. Over the balance of Tressel's career, he beat Carr like a drum. Over the last three years, with virtually no experienced talent , and no support, by the UM family, RR lost three more. (Too bad Mallett listened to Carr, and left for Arkansas.) Now we are looking at 1 out of the last 10! The latest 'revelations' from Columbus don't change the facts. So unfortunately for Hoke, he inhereited a very difficult situation. Fortunately, for Hoke, Tressel's recent departure, will help make it a bit easier. The osu program will NOT change, however, only recruiting will suffer. But even more critical, than Tressel's departure, is the departure of T.Pryor. I understand that Fickell will have a new 'phenom' at QB, coming in from Dayton, but he'll still be a freshman. Look for Fickell to fall back on his defense, and try to knock DRob out of the game. He'll play ball control, and keep the UM offense, on the bench, and under control. If Fickell can pull off the win, he goes back to 'the shoe' in '12, and trying to push the streak to 11-1. IF....he pulls that off, recruiting turns around for him.
DonAZ
Sat, Jul 16, 2011 : 12:17 a.m.
The work "must" implies an imperative requirement. An imperative requirement suggests an authoritative entity imposing the requirement. That simply does not exist for Hoke in his first year. If I were to guess -- and I am guessing; I have no other means of insight into this matter -- Brandon has following requirements understood between himself and Hoke: o Win those games you should win -- no stupid losses to WMU, EMU, SDSU, Minnesota or Purdue. o Win at least one of the key rivalry games -- ND, MSU or OSU o Show improvement in key offensive metrics such as: time of possession, third down conversions and turnover ratio. o Show improvement in key defensive metrics such as: yards on first down, third down conversions, yards after catch and missed tackles. o Show game to game improvement in execution and fundamentals. Hoke does that and he'll show he's stopped the bleeding and started the recovery.
Meangoblue
Fri, Jul 15, 2011 : 7:36 p.m.
Not sure why this was censored the first time?? Just a little meanie poetry........ Worth another try...... There once was this guy that I know, His name was Brady "George Patton" Hoke, He could wheel and deal, Make the MCC squeal, And now he is mancrushed by the ghost...
skfina2
Sat, Jul 16, 2011 : 11:18 p.m.
You do realize that know, Hoke, and ghost don't rhyme at all, don't you.
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Fri, Jul 15, 2011 : 10:12 p.m.
LOL!! But at least I don't believe Bo rose from the dead to recommend Brandon hire him! Good Night and Good Luck
Meangoblue2
Fri, Jul 15, 2011 : 7:40 p.m.
That's a gooooood un meanie... :)
DonAZ
Fri, Jul 15, 2011 : 7:08 p.m.
Overall a pretty good article. I'll take slight exception to this sentence: "Ultimately, however, the Wolverines' overall record won't matter nearly as much as their performance on one particular day: Nov. 26." I understand what he's trying to get at with that statement. But I'm not buying the sentiment entirely. Here's what I'm getting at. Imagine two scenarios (and yes, I know there are other scenarios possible ... follow my reasoning here) ... (1) Michigan plays sloppy all year, goes 4-8 but pulls out a messy win against OSU. (2) Michigan plays increasingly solid football all year ... improvement game to game ... but loses a close and hard-fought game to OSU If those are the only two scenarios we're considering, then my very strong sense is Michigan fans would prefer (2). Scenario 2 provides a foundation upon which to build proper hope for the program. Scenario 1 simply proves the saying that "even a blind pig finds an acorn every once in a while." What was missing from the last three years -- particularly last year -- was the sense that the program had a strong foundation and that there was a strong chance for improvement. That's why I've been saying in these posts all along that a key criteria for grading Hoke's first year is not necessarily the overall record. But rather, the manner in which victories are won and -- perhaps more important -- the manner in which defeats are lost. So while I would love to see scenario (3) -- Improvement game to game *and* a win over OSU -- my heart would not be broken if Michigan gets better and better over the season, pulls out a game or two we don't expect, and loses a nail-biter to OSU. Because an "L" lost competitively often yields benefits in lessons learned and hunger fueled. A sloppy "W" means little. Which is why last year's 67-65 win over Illinois ultimately provided *nothing* later in the season.
Terry Star21
Fri, Jul 15, 2011 : 6:57 p.m.
Yes it was a great article....he is right, and if his main intention is to let America know Hoke and Michigan Football are on the right track - he is successful. The main point here is; there is a right way to approach every little detail in being the 'Complete Coach' prior to the season, during the season and after the season. He cautions, "..he hasn't coached a game yet...", and lets take comfort in knowing that off the field, The Hoke Team are getting it done ! MgoBlueForTim..........and the 'Complete Coach'....!!!!!
Terry Star21
Fri, Jul 15, 2011 : 7:07 p.m.
PS...and don't think people haven't noticed - i.e. high school coaches and players - as M is closing in on the nations number one recruiting class for 2012.
saintd
Fri, Jul 15, 2011 : 6:48 p.m.
I went to a michigan game at northwestern a couple of years ago and it looked like a home game to me. they love michigan over there.
Terry Star21
Fri, Jul 15, 2011 : 7:01 p.m.
saintd - you are so right. Our group attends every single game and it never surprises us the M following around America, i.e. there are tons of M fans in iowa that can't make the A2 trips and they wait two years to see their team....priceless !
bigblue
Fri, Jul 15, 2011 : 6:19 p.m.
As the article points out RR was doomed before he ever coached a game at Michigan. The best thing Hoke has going for him is that now everybody is behind the coach. Hoke will lose a lot of support if they start to lose early. The only non-conference game they might lose is ND. More than one non-conference loss is big trouble. But If they can go undefeated in the non-conference, look out, they might be able to pull something off. The Big 10 is wide open for Michigan this year. No penn st. or wisc. in the regular season is favorable. O$u is an unknown quantity right now. Who knows where their season will be at in November. Sparty might be good but you never know with them. Most national people think the huskers are gonna come in and just dominate but they regressed a lot at the end of last season. Especially at the QB position. Taylor Martinez slowed down at the end of the year. The right defense could take Michigan a long way.
Mick
Fri, Jul 15, 2011 : 6:18 p.m.
Nice to see a National article like that written. There were some errors in the piece, but hey whatever. It just says something about Hoke, to have so much excitement about the program in such a short time and doing a great job of selling the program to fans and recruits. I feel that will absolutely translate to the field. I'm a Lions fan too and this is the most excited I've been about the Lions in all my 40 yrs. as a fan from the time I was a boy, even more so than the Barry Sanders years, this feels like something real. I similarly feel the most excitement about U-M Football than I have in a few years.
heartbreakM
Fri, Jul 15, 2011 : 6:01 p.m.
Mandel I think is a Michigan fan. He went to NOrthwestern, but he has always written respectfully about Michigan. His article was right on about the atmosphere, and I agree with Poseidon. Let's get to the season. Let's see Denard run. Let's see some tackles and blocking, and some field goals!! Go blue.
Poseidon
Fri, Jul 15, 2011 : 5:42 p.m.
Mandel's articles have always been my favorite reads on SI.com, so pretty happy that he wrote this one on UM. I also happen to agree with alot of what he said, except for the bit about UM fans wanting this summer to go on forever. This UM fan cannot WAIT for summer to end, and for that beautiful fall football weather to settle over the state, and to see what Hoke and Co. can do this season. GO BLUE!